Many of my clients ask me why I use The Associated Press Stylebook, AP Style, in my resumes. My answer is this; resumes are now considered personal marketing documents. That being the case, and the marketing industry standard being the AP Style, I have adapted the AP Style for my clients.

If you choose to use Oxford Style, I think that is great. I sometimes feel as though I have a split personality, using Oxford Style for personal writing and switching to AP Style for resumes.

The important thing to keep in mind is to remain consistent throughout your document. If you begin using AP, use AP throughout your document. Don’t slip and switch to Oxford midway, and vice versa.

Finally, regardless of the grammatical style you choose to use, be able to explain why you chose to use that style, should it come up. You may even impress a hiring manager by knowing the difference between the AP Style and Oxford Style.